Liner hanger



E. BURNS LINER HANGER Oct. 13, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 19.1962 .5 W56@ MU OC- 13, 1964 E. BURNS 3,152,643

LINER HANGER Filed March 19, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .II/Ga 4a INVENTOR.

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United States Patent O 3,152,643 LINER HANGER Erwin Burns, Los Angeles,Calif. (8346 Salt Lake Ave., Bell, Calif.) Filed Mar. 19, 1962, Ser. No.180,691 4 Claims. (Ci. 166-124) This invention relates to an oil wellproduction tool and is more particularly concerned with a tool forsetting pipe, tubing, or casing within a cased well bore, and commonlyknown as a liner hanger.

In the practice of completing oil wells it is customary to suspend aliner within the casing. This liner consists of a length of perforatedpipe supported at its upper end in the lower end of the casing by meansof a device commonly known as a liner hanger. The length of perforatedpipe extends below the casing and into the uncased well bore. It is anobject of the present invention to provide a liner hanger by which aliner may be readily lowered into a well bore in a simple and effectivemanner, and in the operation of which the liner may be supported withoutthe necessity of rotation while the slips of the hanger are set andwithout imposing any weight on the setting tool or the liner.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a linerhanger carrying a packing element which cannot be accidentally disturbedor distended until the tool which is used to set the liner hanger hasbeen released and the Weight of the liner is imposed directly on theslips of the hanger.

Another object of this invention is to provide a liner hangerconstruction having several important and novel improvements over theliner hanger construction disclosed in Patent No. 2,337,733, issuedDecember 28, 1943, to Erwin Burns and Frank C. Boyd, entitled LinerHanger. In the above construction, structure is provided to maintain theconstruction assembled when running into a well which includes aradially outwardly projecting annular flange at the center of thecentral body portion of the hanger defining an upwardly disposedshoulder and a radially inwardly opening annular recess or relievedportion in the barrel portion of the hanger which carries the slips andwhich defines a downwardly disposed shoulder upon which the flangestops. Such a construction makes the central body portion costly tomanufacture and requires that the wall thickness of the said barrel, andthe wall thickness of the packer cage, be materially reduced to anextent that only large diameter hangers having parts with considerableinitial wall thickness can be manufactured in accordance with theteachings of this patent.

Still further, the above patented construction requires a special packercage having unsupported extremely thin wall portions in order toestablish a seal about the central body portion of the construction, andsuch that it is subject to `failure when subjected to severe workingconditions.

It is an object of this invention to provide novel means and structurefor maintaining a liner hanger construction of the character referred toassembled when the construction is lowered into a well or when it isbeing pulled therefrom.

It is an object of this invention to provide a structure of thecharacter referred to wherein the wall thicknessv of the various partsgoing to make up the construction need not be reduced to such a extentas to weaken the construction or make it impossible or irnpractical toestablish small diameter tools in accordance with the invention.

In the constructions of the type here concerned with and provided by theprior art, the body extends through 3,l52,643 Patented Get. 13, 1964 icethe packer cage and connects with the liner. An actuating ring iscarried by the body to engage a deformable packer. When the tool isactuated, the weight of the liner is exerted through the ring onto thepacker to distend it and in such a way that the liner and body assemblyis supported wholly by the actuating ring, which is fixed to the bodyand rests on the deformable packer. The actuating ring is such that onlypoint contact is made by it on the body. As a result, the weight of theliner frequently causes separation between the ring and the body and theliner with the body separates from the hanger and packer cage, dropsinto the well bore and renders the entire construction inoperative andthe well incapable of being produced.

It is an object of my invention to provide a secondary stop means tolimit downward movement of the body relative to the cage, independent ofthe actuating ring for the packer and including opposing stop shoulderson the cage and the body.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a liner hangerconstruction of the character referred to wherein a separate seal isprovided between the packer cage and the central body portion of theconstruction, so that the packer, per se, need not seal with the bodyand so that the packer cage need not be established with the weak,unsupported thin-walled portions which are subject to failure.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a setting toolhaving a barrel, a removable stem associated therewith, slips carried bythe barrel and normally held in retractedrposition but capable of beingreleased by manipulation of the stem to set against the casing, and adeformable packer carried by the barrel and adapted to be distended intoa sealing position when the weight of the liner is imposed upon thestructure, after the slips have set.

The various objects and features of my invention will be fullyunderstood from the following detailed description of a typicalpreferred form and application of my invention, throughout whichdescription reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the construction provided bythe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of my new construction showingit in an actuated position;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of portion of theconstruction that I provide;

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional View taken as indicated by line 4-4 onFIG. l;

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken as indicated by line 5-5 onFIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken as indicated by line 6--6 onFIG. l;

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken as indicated by line 7-7 onFIG. 1; and

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view showing the packer cage andactuating ring provided by the invention.

Referring particularly to FIGS. l and 2 of the drawings, 10 indicates aWell casing which is set within a well bore 11 and within which a linerhanger 12 is arranged. The li-ner hanger includes a square mandrel orstem 13 which is threaded into the lower end of a drill pipe joint 14.This stem is of square cross `section and has a lower threaded end 15which receives `a nut 16. The nut 16 is internally threaded at 17 andmay receive 'the threaded end of a length of tubing through whichcirculating fluid or cement may be forced downwardly into the liner. Thesquare stem 13 extends through a liner nut 18 of the setting tool. Thisnuit has a central bore therethrough of square cross section, asindicated `at 19, through which the stem 13 may slide while positivelyengaging the nut to impart rotation thereto. The exterior surface of thelower cylindrical portion of the liner nut is formed with threads 20.The threads are square lefthand threads. The upper length of the nut iscylindrical, as indicated at 21, and has a central cylindricalcounterbore 22 above the square stem opening 19. This cylindricalportion is externally threaded at 23 to receive an annular bearing nut24. The bearing nut has a lower shoulder forming a ball race Z whichrests upon an anti-friction bearing 26, here shown as being of the ballbearing type. The `anti-friction bearing 26 rests upon the upper endface of a sleeve 27 of the setting tool. This sleeve is cylindrical andis formed at its lower end with a frusto-conical face 28. A cylindricalbore 29 is formed in the sleeve and the sleeve has a running fit withthe upper cylindrical portion 21 of :the nut 18.

Extending downwardly from the ysleeve 27 are a plurality of separateslip engaging iingers 32 which are mounted on the outer circumference ofthe sleeve 27 and overhang the screw portion 20 of the nut 18, asclearly illustrated throughout the drawings. Four of these fingers arehere shown and their purpose in the structure will be hereinafterdescribed.

The liner hanger includes a tubular body 34 having an upper portion 34and a lower portion 34" of reduced diameter. The upper portion 34 isinternally threaded yat its upper end as indicated at 35, the threadsbeing complementary to the threads Ztl on the nut 18. The

upper end of the body is formed with a flat, radially disposed upper ortop end 36. Slidably mounted upon the upper portion 34 of the body 34 isa tubular slip barrel 37 which iits over the body and is provided with aradially inwardly projecting annular stop flange 38 at its upper endwhich `opposes and rests against the upper end 36 of the body.

The upper end 36 of the body thereby provides a rest for `the slipbarrel 37. The upper end of the slip barrel is provided with a taperedend face 39 which face extends or continues radially inwardly across thetop of the stop liange 38 and opposes the face 28 on the sleeve 27.

Formed within the cylindrical outer face of the slip barrel 37 areguideways which receive wickered slips 41. These slips are designed tomove upwardly and outwardly in the guideways 40 as urged by a pluralityof springs 42 mounted at the heel of the slips. The lingers 32 nor-Vmally engage the upper ends of the slips and when the sleeve 27 is inits lower position, force the slips downwardly and hold them retractedso that they will not grip the wall `of the casing 10 until released.

The lower end of the upper portion 34' of the body establishes adownwardly disposed stop shoulder 36.

The lower end of the slip barrel 37 is internally threaded as indicatedat 45. This receives the upper threaded end of a packer cage 46. Thiscage is shown particularly in FIG. 8 of the drawings, where it will beseen to have a flat upper end establishing an upwardly disposed stopshoulder 46 and `a substantially cylindrical central body portion 47.The lower end of lthe cage is provided with an enlarged collar 48. Thecentral body portion of the cage is cut away at intervals about itscircumference, as indicated at 49, and has longitudinal wall portions 50between the cut-away portions. The upper end of the portion of the cageis threaded, as indicated at 51, and is threaded into the threaded bore45 of the slip barrel 37. The inside diameter of the cage is less thanthe inside diameter of the barrel and substantially the same as theoutside diameter of the lower portion 34 of the body. It will be seenfrom the above that the shoulder 46 established by the top of the cageopposes the shoulder 36 established by the lower end of the upperportion 34 of the body. It will also be seen that due to the fact thatthe enlarged collar 48 is of a diameter somewhat greater than thediameter of the body 47, a square shoulder 52 is established in a planeat right tangles to the longitudinal axis of the packer cage. Castaround the exterior of the body portion 47 of the cage and filling theopenings 49 is a sleeve-type packer 53. This packer may be of `anydesired design or construction and any suitable deformable material,such for example, as lead or rubber.

By reference to FIG. 7 it will be seen that the packer sleeve iscylindrical and of an outside diameter agreeing with that of 4theenlarged collar 48 of the cage. The inside diameter of the packer:sleeve indicated at 54, lits snugly on the exterior of the hanger body34 where the openings 49 occur, las clearly illustrated in the drawings.The length of the packer is .such as to insure space for a packeractuating ring 55. The actuating ring 55 is shown in detail in FIG. 8 ofthe drawings. Here it will be seen to comprise an annular wall 56. Theouter diameter of this section agrees with the normal outside diameterof the packer sleeve and the outside diameter of the slip barrel 37.Actuating lugs 57 extend inwardly from the annular portion 56 of thering and are spaced at equal intervals therearound. The lugs 57 iit intothe upper ends of the slotted openings 49 in the packer cage to engagethe hanger body 34, and are fixed to the body 34 Aas by welding W. Thepacker sleeve 53 is of a length. shorter than the openings 49 suflicientto permit the lugs 57 to assume a position in the ends of the openings49 and resting against the upper end face of the packer sleeve 53.

Attention is directed to the fact, as shown in FIG. l of the drawingsand as indicated above that the inside diameter of the cage, asindicated at 58, is substantially the same as the outside diameter ofthe lower portion 34 of the body 34, and establishes sliding engagementtherewith.

The lower collar 48 of the cage is provided with an annular radiallyinwardly opening channel 78 in which is arranged an annular yO-ring typeseal 71, which seal establishes sealing engagement about the exterior ofthe body 34, below the packer 53. With this relationship of parts, itwill be apparent that when the tool is fully actuated, as shown in FIG.2 of the drawings the, packer 53 establishes Huid-tight seal-ingengagement with the interior of the casing and with the shoulder 52. onthe collar 48 to prevent the passage of uid longitudinally through theannulus defined by the casing and the tool, and that the sealing ring 71carried by the collar and engaging the body, establishes a iiuid tightseal between the body and the collar and prevents the passage or leakageof fluid between the cage and the body, and between the portions of thepacker occurring in the openings in the cage and the body.

The lower end of the body 34 extends downwardly below the cage 46 and adesired distance and is externally threaded at 59 to receive a couplingcollar 60 into which is threaded the upper end of a perforated liner 61.

Before use, the structure is assembled as shown in the ldrawings byplacing the packer cage on the body member 34 with the ring 55 disposedabove the sleeve 53. Thus the under face of the ring 55 will extendentirely across the upper face of the packing sleeve 53. The slip barrel37 is then attached to the top of the packer cage 46 by threading theportion 51 ot' the packer cage into the threaded section 45 of thebarrel 37. When thus threaded the shoulder 38 of the slip barrel willengage the top of the body 34 and will limit the downward movement ofthe slip barrel 37 relative to the body and the shoulder 36 and the bodywill be spaced above the shoulder 46 on the cage. The liner nut 18carrying the slip 27 is then threaded into position within the upper endof the body member 34 and by engagement of the threads 20 on the nutwith the threads 34' of the body member. When the nut is tightened intoposition the tapered face 28 of the sleeve 27 will rest against theupwardly presented tapered face 31 on the slip barrel. It will beunderstood that when this assembly is made the sleeve 37 does not rotatesince the lingers 32 extend longitudinally into the recesses 44 in theslip barrel 37. While thus held the nut 18 is tightened and will movethe fingers 32 downwardly to engage the upper ends of the wickered slips41. These slips will be held in their retracted position so long as thenut is tightened to its seated position. Attention is directed to thefact that while the nut 18 is rotated as by the mandrel 13, the body 34is stationary and produces an advantage to be more clearly set forthhereinafter.

When the structure is assembled as directed, la perforated liner 61 isattached to the lower end of the tubular body 34 by a coupling 60. Thestructure is then ready to be lowered into the bore of an oil well andto be set relative to the casingr 10.

In operation of the invention the liner hanger is assembled and set asshown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, and is ready to be run into the wellbore. It is to be pointed out that in the event the lower end of thepacker cage 46 should strike an obstruction or meet resistance whilebeing lowered into the casing, this will have no effect on the tool andthe entire tool will remain in its set assembled position, since thepacker cage 46 is directly connected to the slip barrel through thethreaded connection 45, and the slip barrel in turn is held againstlongitudinal movement by bearing against the sleeve 27, which is held bythe hanger nut 18. It will therefore be seen that no amount of endthrust on the packer cage 46 will ever deform the packer 53. When thestructure is lowered into the well, it will be understood that the liner61 is `in place on the lower end of the liner hanger body 34. Due to thelength of the stem 13 it is possible for the hanger to have considerablelongitudinal movement on the stem so that the hanger and the liner maybe manipulated suciently to facilitate the handling of the table slipsor other means used at the surface level. When the liner has reached thedesired point of setting in the well rotation of the drill pipe 14 tothe right will impart similar rotation to the square stem 13, and willresult in positive rotation of the hanger nut 18. The nut will thenadvance longitudinally upwardly. This movement will correspondingly movethe sleeve 27 upwardly. As previously explained, the sleeve 27 carr-iesthe fingers 32. These will move upwardly and away from their abuttingengagement with the top of the slips. This will permit the springs 442to force the slips upwardly and outwardly into engagement with the innerface of the casing 10. Excessive downward movement of the ring, such asmight occur if the packer were caused to flowrexcessively, is preventedwhen" the shoulder 36 engages and stops against the shoulder 46. Thisstopping action prevents further downward movement of the ring andfurther distending of the packer. The above stopping action alsoprevents separation of the body from within the cage, should the ringseparate from the body.

After the sleeve 27 has been elevated to a point where the fingers 32are retracted from the grooves 32 further rotation of the stem 13 willcompletely disengage the sleeve and the nut 18 from -the hanger body 34and will permit it to be removed from the well with the drill string 14.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that under noIcircumstances can the packer be `set until the setting tool has been atleast partially removed, and that prior to such time the packing elementwill be held positively against any longitudinal movement.

The present design of liner setting tool does not require the use ofspecial separate tools or the use of more than one string of pipe sincethe liner is directly carried on the liner `setting tool and the tool isdirectly carried upon a single string of pipe. The invention alsoinvolves the novel feature of insuring that the slips are disposed abovethe packer and that they are directly actuated by the application of theweight of the liner to the deformable packing independently of theslips.

With the construction set forth above it will be seen that the packersleeve 53 is relied upon or depended upon to seal between the exteriorof the cage and the interior of the casing only, and that the sealingring '71 serves to seal between the cage and the body 34. Accordingly,the longitudinal wall portions 50 of the cage 46 need not be spaced fromthe body 34 and have their wall thickness reduced, but, rather, can beof substantial wall thickness and bear against and iind support on thebody 34. Further, the packer 53 need only extend about the exterior ofthe cage and into the openings 49, and need not extend between thelongitudinal wall portions 50 of the cage and the body 34.

An extremely important advantage afforded by the present inventionresides in the fact that the flange 38 at the upper end of the barreloverlies the upper end of the body and protects the body and the threadstherein from being split and changed by the introduction of body toolsand the like into the construction, after it is set.

Having described only a typical preferred form and application of myinvention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specificdetails herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any variationsor modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art and fallwithin the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

l. A combination liner hanger and packer comprising an elongate tubularbody adapted to support a liner at its lower end and having an upperportion with ilat upper and lower ends and a lower portion of reduceddiameter, a tubular slipbarrel having a radially inwardly projectingflange at its upper end slidably receiving the upper portion of the bodywith the upper end ofthe body normally engaging the stop flange,detachable means normally engaging the upper end of said body and bywhich it is supported from a string of pipe, slips carried on the slipbarrel to engage the wall of a casing through which the hanger extends,a rigid slotted packer cage having at upper end secured to the lower endof the slip barrel and slidably engaged about the lower portion of thebody, a deformable packer carried by and surrounding the cage, and anactuating ring fixed to the body and surrounding the cage to engage thepacker, whereby when the detach-V able means is detached the slips areset and the hanger body moves downwardly with relation to the barrel andthe cage and imposes the weight of the liner upon the upper end of thedeformable packer to deform the same into sealingV engagement with thecasing and the lower v end of the upper portion of the body seats on theupper end of the cage.

2. A combination liner hanger and packer comprising an elongate tubularbody adapted to support a liner at its lower end and having an uppercylindrical portion with flat upper and lower ends and a lower portionof reduced diameter, an elongate tubular slip barrel having a radiallyinwardly projecting stop flange at its upper end and slidably receivingthe upper end of the body with the upper end of the body normallyengaging the stop flange, the lower end of the upper portion of the bodyterminating above the lower end of the barrel, detachable means normallyengaged with the upper end of said body and by which it is supportedfrom a string of pipe, slips carried on the slip barrel to engage thewall of the casing through which the hanger extends, an elongate rigidslotted packer cage having a flat top and being smaller in insidediameter than the inside diameter of the barrel and threadably engagedin the lower end of the slip barrel with its upper end normally spacedbelow the lower end of the upper portion of the body and slidablyengaged about the lower portion of the body, a deformable packer carriedby and surrounding the cage, and an actuating ring fixed to the body andsurrounding the cage to engage the packer, whereby when the detachablemeans is detached, the Slips are set and the hanger body movesdownwardly with relation to the barrel and the cage and imposes theweight of the liner upon the upper end of the deformable packer todeform the same into sealing engagement with the casing and the lowerend of the upper portions stops on the upper end of the cage, and

l? sealing means between the cage and the body and including an annulargroove in the body and an O-ring in the groove and engaging the body.

3. A combined liner hanger and packer comprising an elongate tubularbody having an upper portion with at upper and lower ends and a lowerportion of reduced diameter adapted to support la liner at its lowerend, a tubular slip barrel having an upwardly disposed end face and anannular radially inwardly projecting stop shoulder at its upper end andslidably receiving the body with the upper end of the body normallyengaging the stop shoul der, the lower end of the upper portion of thebody normally terminating above the lower end of the barrel, said barrelcarrying casing engaging slips movable longitudinally of its outer face,an elongate rigid slotted cage smaller in inside diameter than theinside diameter of the barrel and threadably engaged in the barrel anddefining an upwardly disposed stop shoulder, said cage depending.

from the barrel and slidably engaged about the exterior of the lowerportion of the body and having a radially outwardly extending upwardlydisposed stop shoulder at its lower end, an actuating ring slidablyengaged about the exterior of the cage to normally occur at the upperend thereof and having radially inwardly projecting lugs projectingthrough the slotted cage and fixed to the body and a deformable packersleeve engaged about the cage between the ring and the shoulder at thelower end of the cage, a support for the hanger detachable means carriedby the support to releasably engage the body and t cooperate with theend face on the barrel and with the body to hold the body and barrelagainst relative longitudinal movement, means carried by the detachablemeans for releasably holding the slips in retracted position until thedetachable means is detached, whereupon the slips are released to setwith a casing surrounding the hanger and packer, whereby the barrel isfixed against rotation and the hanger body is released to impose itsweight and the weight of the liner through the ringand upon thedeformable packer to distend the packer radially into sealing engagementwith the casing and to shift the lower end of the upper portion of thebody downwardly into seated engagement on the stop shoulder delined bythe upper end of the cage.

4. A combination liner hanger and packer comprising an elongate tubularbody having an upper portion with at upper and lower ends and a lowerportion of reduced diameter adapted to engage and support the liner atits lower end, a tubular slip barrel having an upper end face and anannular radially projecting stop shoulder at its upper end and slidablyreceiving the body with the upper end of the body normally engaging thestop shoulder and with its lower end normally spaced above the lower endof the barrel, said barrel carrying casing engaging slips movablelongitudinally of its outer face, an elongate rigid slotted cage smallerin inside diameter than the inside diameter of the barrel and having itsupper end threadably engaged in the lower end of the barrel anddepending therefrom, the upper end of the cage being flat and definingan annular upwardly disposed stop shoulder, the lower end of the cagebeing fixed to the upper end of an elongate liner, said cage having aradially outwardly extending upwardly disposed shoulder at its lowerend, yan actuating ring slidably engaged about the exterior of the cageto normally occur at the upper end thereof and having radially inwardlyprojecting lugs projecting through the slotted cage and fixed to thebody and a deformable packer sleeve engaged about the cage between thering and the shoulder, and an annular sealing ring carried by the cageat the lower end thereof and sealing with the body, a support for thehanger, detachable means carried by the support for engaging the bodyand temporarily cooperating with the upper end face on the barrel andwith the body to hold the body and barrel against relative longitudinalmovement, and means carried by the detachable means for releasablyholding the slips in retracted position until the detachable means isdetached, whereupon the slips shift and set with a casing surroundingthe barrel, whereby the barrel is xed with the casing and against axialshifting and rotation and the hanger body is released to impose itsweight and the weight of the liner through the ring and upon thedeformable packer to distend the packer radially into sealing engagementwith the casing and to shift the lower end of the upper portion of thebody downwardly into seated stopped engagement with the shoulder definedby the upper end of the cage..

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. A COMBINATION LINER HANGER AND PACKER COMPRISING AN ELONGATE TUBULARBODY ADAPTED TO SUPPORT A LINER AT ITS LOWER END AND HAVING AN UPPERPORTION WITH FLAT UPPER AND LOWER ENDS AND A LOWER PORTION OF REDUCEDDIAMETER, A TUBULAR SLIP BARREL HAVING A RADIALLY INWARDLY PROJECTINGFLANGE AT ITS UPPER END SLIDABLY RECEIVING THE UPPER PORTION OF THE BODYWITH THE UPPER END OF THE BODY NORMALLY ENGAGING THE STOP FLANGE,DETACHABLE MEANS NORMALLY ENGAGING THE UPPER END OF SAID BODY AND BYWHICH IT IS SUPPORTED FROM A STRING OF PIPE, SLIPS CARRIED ON THE SLIPBARREL TO ENGAGE THE WALL OF A CASING THROUGH WHICH THE HANGER EXTENDS,A RIGID SLOTTED PACKER CAGE HAVING FLAT UPPER END SECURED TO THE LOWEREND OF THE SLIP BARREL AND SLIDABLY ENGAGED ABOUT THE LOWER PORTION OFTHE BODY, A DEFORMABLE PACKER CARRIED BY AND SURROUNDING THE CAGE, ANDAN ACTUATING RING FIXED TO THE BODY AND SURROUNDING THE CAGE TO ENGAGETHE PACKER, WHEREBY WHEN THE DETACHABLE MEANS IS DETACHED THE SLIPS ARESET AND THE HANGER BODY MOVES DOWNWARDLY WITH RELATION TO THE BARREL ANDTHE CAGE AND IMPOSES THE WEIGHT OF THE LINER UPON THE UPPER END OF THEDEFORMABLE PACKER TO DEFORM THE SAME INTO SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH THECASING AND THE LOWER END OF THE UPPER PORTION OF THE BODY SEATS ON THEUPPER END OF THE CAGE.